Method of forming pulleys



$9 INVENTOR. L605 fiOlsem L, B. S. OLSEN METHOD OF FORMING PULLEYS Filed Oct. 29, 1962 March 29 1966 K\ MH Q V Z k n. 1a,! 1 k f w N Why/w g United States Patent Office 3,242,559 METHOD OF FORMING PULLEYS Leo B. S. Olsen, Maywood, Ill., assignor to Rada Products Company, a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 233,603 8 Claims. (Cl. 29159) This invention relates to methods of manufacture, and in particular, to the method of manufacturing small pulleys and the like.

A conventional method of forming small pulleys, such as for use in low power drive devices wherein the driving force is transmitted through O-ring type belt means, cords, and the like, is by utilization of a number of relatively expensive dies or relatively costly spinning operations. The present invention comprehends an improved method of forming such pulleys which is extremely simple and economical.

Thus, a principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved method of forming pulleys.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a method wherein the pulleys are manufactured in a single press operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a method wherein the pulley groove is formed in the sheet material prior to the blanking thereof permiting facilitated formation of the driving flange.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of such a method wherein the completion of the flange groove is effected in a novel manner.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in con nection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section of a press illustrating a first step in the manufacture of a pulley by a method embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section of a press illustrating a second step in the manufacture of a pulley by the method;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section of a press illustrating a third step in the manufacture of a pulley by the method;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section of a press illustrating a fourth step in the manufacture of a pulley by the method;

FIGURE 5 is an edge view of a pulley formed by the method; and

FIGURE 6 is a plan view thereof.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawing, a pulley generally designated 10 is shown to comprise a generally disc-shaped element having a circular mid-portion 11 provided with an axial mounting hub 12 and a peripheral driving flange 13. Thus, pulley 10 is of substantially conventional c0n figuration being adapted for use in small drives, such as in appliances, and such as in condenser tuning devices in radios and the like. The hub 12 is adapted to be mounted on a conventional shaft (not shown), and the flange 13 is substantially circular in cross-section in an axial plane to receive a conventional driving element such as an O-ring or cord.

The present invention is concerned with a method of forming such a pulley. More specifically, referring now to FIGURE 1, the first step of the disclosed method comprises the positioning of a sheet 14 of suitable de formable material, such as sheet metal, with a preselected portion 15 thereof disposed in alignment with a pair of cooperating dies 16 and 17 carried in a suitable press generally designated 18. The dies are suitably arranged to form an annular groove 19 in sheet portion 15 when the dies are brought together with the sheet 14 disposed therebetween, as shown in FIGURE 1. The

3,242,559 Patented Mar. 29, 1966 press 18 is further provided with a punching die 20 coaxially of die 16 arranged to cut a central opening 21 in the sheet 14 at the axis of groove 19 concurrently with the forming of the groove.

Turning now to FIGURE 2, a second step in the manufacture of the pulley is shown to comprise an advancement of the sheet 14 to dispose the grooved portion 15 in coaxially aligned relationship with an annular cutting die 22. As illustrated herein, sheet 14 may comprise a continuous strip, and, thus, when portion 15 thereof is aligned with cutting die 22, a second preselected portion 15' of sheet 14 is disposed in alignment with dies 16 and 17.

Turning now to FIGURE 3, the next step in the manufacture of the pulleys comprises the operation of press 18 to move cutting die 22 downwardly through the plane of the sheet 14, thereby cutting the sheet circumjacent the groove 19. During this operation, the mid-portion 11 of the pulley is supported on a subjacent support 23 having a diameter at its upper end slightly smaller than the diameter of the inner edge 24 of the groove 19. The cutting die 22 is moved further downwardly to urge a frusto-conical portion 25 thereof against the sheet portion 15, thereby turning the portion 15 about the groove edge 24.

The downward movement of the cutting die 22 is continued until the groove 19 faces substantially radially outwardly. As the sheet portion 15 may be deformed by the cutting and turning action of the die 22, to assure a final substantially semi-circular configuration of the flange 13 of the pulley 10, the turned portion 15 is next compressed between a lower die 26 and an upper die 27. The lower die is provided with a concave annular upper surface 28 against which the outer edge 29 of the sheet portion 15 is forced, thereby causing the edge portion 29 to assume a substantially accurately circular configuration. At the same time, the action of the upper die 27 against the inner edge portion 24- causes it to assume an accurately circular configuration whereby the groove 19 is caused to be accurately substantially semicircular, as shown in FIGURE 3.

Press 18, as shown in FIGURE 3, further includes a hub forming die 30 which is coaxially disposed within die 27 to project downwardly therefrom. Thus, concurrently with the formation of the flange 13, the sheet portion 11 is further formed at the opening 21 to define a depending annular flange comprising hub 12, the flange being received in a suitable opening 31 in the lower die 23 as the die 30 passes through the fiat plane of the sheet portion 11.

As shown in FIGURE 3, at the same time that the cutting and forming operations are being conducted on the previously grooved portion of the sheet 11, the portion 15' thereof is being annularly grooved by the dies 16 and 17, thereby preparing the next portion of the sheet 11 for subsequent cutting and final forming. The respective steps of groove forming, cutting, and final forming are thusly coordinated so that a high speed continuous manufacture of pulleys may be effected in press 18 from the sheet 11 which may be supplied in the form of a roll of sheet stock not shown).

The removal of the completed pulleys 10 from the press may be effected herein by elevating the lower die 23, as shown in FIGURE 4. The upper die 27 and cutting die 22 may then be raised to clear the pulley for facilitated removal from the raised support 23.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of manufacturing a hubbed, peripherally grooved pulley comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of formable material; forming an annular groove in a pre-selected portion of the sheet, said annular groove extending annularly about an axis; cutting the sheet circumjacent said groove; forming a hub in the sheet at said axis of said groove; and turning said portion of the sheet to dispose said annular groove to open substantially radially outwardly relative to said axis.

2. The method of manufacturing a hubbed, peripherally grooved pulley comprising the steps of: providing an elongated sheet of formable material concurrently forming an annular groove in a preselected portion of the sheet, said annular groove extending annularly about an axis, and forming an opening in said sheet at said axis; cutting the sheet circumjacent said groove; forming a .hub in the sheet circumjacent said opening; and turning said portion of the sheet to dispose said annular groove to open substantially radially outwardly relative to said axis.

3. The method of manufacturing a peripherally grooved pulley comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of formable material; forming an annular groove in a preselected portion of the sheet, said annular groove extending annularly about an axis; cutting the sheet circumjacent said groove; and turning said portion of the sheet to dispose said annular groove to open substan- 'tially radially outwardly relative to said axis.

4. The method of manufacturing a peripherally grooved pulley comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of formable material; forming an annular groove in a preselected portion of the sheet, said annular groove extending annularly about an axis moving an annular cutter through the sheet circumjacent said groove at the second position to cut said sheet; and turning said portion of the sheet to dispose said annular groove to open substantially radially outwardly relative to said axis.

5. The method of manufacturing a peripherally grooved pulley comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of formable material; forming an annular groove in a preselected portion of the sheet, said annular groove extending annularly about an axis; cutting the sheet material circumjacent said groove; turning said portion of the sheet while supporting the sheet only within said preselected portion; and terminating the turning by forcing said portion against a concave annular die to cause said portion to define an annular groove opening substantially radially outwardly relative to said axis.

6. The method of manufacturing a peripherally grooved pulley comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of formable material; forming an annular groove in a preselected portion of the sheet, said annular groove extending annularly about an axis; cutting the sheet material circumjacent said groove; and turning said portion of the sheet about the radially inner edge of said annular groove to dispose said groove to open substantially radially outwardly relative to said axis.

7. The method of manufacturing a peripherally grooved pulley comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of formable material; forming an annular groove in a preselected portion of the sheet, said annular groove extending annularly about an axis; cutting the sheet material circumjacent said groove; and turning said portion of the sheet about the radially inner edge of said annular groove to dispose said groove to open substantially radially outwardly relative to said axis; and compressing said turned portion parallel to said axis to cause said turned portion to have a substantially semicircular crosssection in an axial plane.

8. The method of manufacturing a peripherally grooved pulley comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of formable material; forming an annular groove in a preselected portion of the sheet, said annular groove extending annularly about an axis; cutting the sheet material circumjacent said groove; and turning said portion of the sheet about the radially inner edge of said annular groove to dispose said groove to open substantially radially outwardly relative to said axis; and compressing said turned portion parallel to said axis against an annular die member having a segmentally-circular crosssection in an axial plane to cause said turned portion to have a substantially semi-circular cross-section in an axial plane.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,428,970 9/1922 Mossberg 29-159 1,646,765 10/1927 Ramsey 215-38 1,798,347 3/1931 Walter 29159 2,133,144 10/1938 Johnson 29-15901 FOREIGN PATENTS 529,187 11/1940 Great Britain.

37,039 12/ 1935 Netherland.

JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner, 

1. THE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A HUBBED, PERIPHERALLY GROOVED PULLEY COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: PROVIDING A SHEET OF FORMABLE MATERIAL; FORMING AN ANNULAR GROOVE IN A PRE-SELECTED PORTION OF THE SHEET, SAID ANNULAR GROOVE EXTENDING ANNULARLY ABOUT AN AXIS; CUTTING THE SHEET CIRCUMJACENT SAID GROOVE; FORMING A HUB IN THE SHEET AT 